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Christie Unexpectedly Drops Legal Challenge to Gay Marriage

October 22, 2013

Gov. Chris Christie dropped his legal challenge to gay marriage in New Jersey today, only hours after same-sex couples began exchanging wedding vows throughout the state.

Christie's unexpected decision to withdraw his appeal of a major case at the state Supreme Court marks the end of a decade-long legal battle. It means that a lower-court ruling allowing gay couples to marry in New Jersey stands as the law.

New Jersey is now the 14th state to legalize gay marriage, and the first to do so in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in June striking down the Defense of Marriage Act.